Banana Nut Muffins

Having recently returned from a short break away in Barcelona (more on this soon/one day!) & a short spell of sunny excursions here in Wales (who’d have thought?!) I find myself depleted. Obviously adventuring around the globe, eating many pastries & walking miles upon miles exploring all the way is worth the feeling of exhaustion in my opinion.

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When you’re feeling tired though (and this could just be me), your body craves what is usually bad for it… caffeine, sugar, fast & easy food. I’m sure we’re all guilty of ordering a cheeky Chinese takeaway after a long, energetic weekend? When all you desire is something to fill you up that requires no effort on your part. Personally (guilty) I find nothing wrong with this but generally I do try to eat a little smarter as I have a genuine love for fruits & vegetables, especially in the summer.

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One of my favourite go-to fruits & always on hand in my house are bananas. I love this happy coloured, oddly shaped, sweet fruit. Without fail I eat one a day, usually for breakfast to fill me up & get me through my weekday mornings without incident. As if it’s bright, sunshine hue wasn’t enough though, these delicious fruits not only give you that much-needed energy boost but can also improve your mood in the process (can you see why I like them?). Loaded with fiber, potassium & (my favourite friend) carbs they provide you with a little energy boost whist slowly releasing its natural sugars, avoiding ghastly crashes.

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When it comes to baking with bananas, we all know that I favour (slightly obsessed with) banana bread, which again is a great healthy snack or breakfast if you need a little boost. However, in a bid to kick my ass into gear (I’m not 21 anymore) I need something more effective that is quicker to make (if only to give the Chinese takeaway a break).

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Luckily, a few years ago I did some experimenting with peanut butter (because who doesn’t love peanut butter?) in the form of muffins. Another exemplar in the energy boosting territory down to its protein, fibre & healthy fats whilst again managing to keep your blood sugar stable. I think I’ve found a match made in heaven (or at least my kitchen).

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Imagine the possibilities if I could somehow combine the two in some form of baked good (visions of a multi tasking wonder woman spring to mind), something that actually requires very little of my much valued & quickly depleting energy levels to make & something that I can simply grab on the go when in need of a little pick me up.

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That’s exactly what I created. A winning combination of fruit & nuts, blended together in a sweet, earthy little muffin. With a light, moist texture & a crunchy, sweet top these muffins are a winner. Fabulous with a cup of coffee in the morning, preparing you for the day ahead. If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, then try switching up to your preferences. I’ve made these just as successfully with almond butter, which lends a much sweeter flavour. These little boosters also freeze really well, so make a batch & hide some way for a rainy day (i.e after a long, energetic weekend).

 


BANANA NUT MUFFINS
(makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:

  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 75g soft light brown sugar
  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • 100g peanut (or almond) butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 60g flaked almonds
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Method:

  • Line a 12 hole muffin pan with muffin cases or square pieces of baking parchment
  • In a large bowl, soft together the flour, ground almonds & baking powder
  • In a separate bowl mash the banana before mixing in the peanut butter, sugar & eggs
  • Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients, along with half (30g) of the flaked almonds & gently fold together until just combined but no dry flour remains
  • Divide the mixture equally between the muffin cases (tip:use an ice-cream scoop)
  • Sprinkle over the remaining flaked almonds & the demerara sugar
  • Bake at 180°c for 25-30 minutes, until a beautiful golden brown
  • Carefully remove the muffins from the tin & place on a cooling rack to fully cool

 

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